


What is Family For?

by itismesee



Series: My Dexter AU [1]
Category: Dexter (TV)
Genre: AU, F/M, Love the killer, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-06
Updated: 2019-04-06
Packaged: 2020-01-05 17:00:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18370283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itismesee/pseuds/itismesee
Summary: What if Dexter knew about his Dad and therapist creating him and that is when Rudy/Brian found him? This leads him to tell Deb who he is and turning him into the police, not caring that he might also be in prison if Brian talks. How does Dexter’s family react?





	What is Family For?

Even as he grabbed the phone he felt himself pull on the wires just a bit harder than he really should have- and he held it longer than he should. He didn’t really care about his survival anymore. He should’ve been created, Brian should have never been created- but he couldn’t just kill him. So he turned his brother in, saved his sister, and sacrificed himself. If only Harry could see him now.

“Dex? Hey, you okay man?” Doakes shook Dexter’s shoulders. His brother was long gone, but the police were still milling around. It would only be moments, he was sure, that they would be hauling him away in handcuffs too.

“Dex? Rita, she is waiting outside. Let’s walk out to meet her, huh?” Doakes grabbed his arm. Dex wasn’t quite sure if he was serious or tricking him into the back of his squad car. Turns out Rita was there, and he got into the car. She grabbed his hand he saw it was shaking and wondered how long it had been doing that.

He didn’t really sleep, but it helped to hear Rita’s breathing next to him. When he first thought this through he had only been worried about explaining it Debra, now he realized Rita had to join that list. The kids would need an explanation at one point. What would he tell them though?

It was suddenly five A.M. and he still had nothing.

A warm hand moved across his chest, “Hey, you get any sleep?”, He just nodded a little.

Rita frowned, not his best lie. “Let’s drop the kids off with Lina for a sleepover and well go get Debra and bring her home. Maybe pick up something from that Thai place you guys like? How does that sound?” She was gently tapping her hand on his chest now, it felt like it was in slow motion. He nodded. And with a kiss, she was gone again.

It felt like seconds, but in an hour they were on their way to pick up Debra. He was still trying to figure out what he needed to say. With a hug and a wheelchair ride, Debra was in the back of the car, another second and he walked in to pick up Thai food and when it came to ordering. The words apparently still weren’t there. He walked out empty handed and just sat down in the car.

He wasn’t sure what was supposed to happen, but he didn’t expect a sad smile from Rita and a hand squeeze before she went in to get the food instead. Then to have Debra grab his hands with a soft “ Hey bro…”His arm was slippery, he was just scratching an itch and apparently, it was too hard because there was a faint copper smell now.  
They didn’t talk on the way home.  
____________________  
Debra was set up on the couch, setting up the plates with shaking hands. She kept looking at the door; even after Rita had told her she locked it- and could see that it was locked. Dexter let himself be led to the bathroom where he started to wash off his arm, letting Rita put on the cartoon band-aids because that was all that was left in the house, on a few spots.

They ate. Barely but still. Then he decided he had to tell them.

“Brian- I mean Rudy-he is-he might-he might say something, maybe he already has- but I want you to know before he- or they tell you. I’m not sure what to do, and I’m so sorry but you two deserve the truth.” He can’t look up. He is going to tell the full truth for once in his life. To unmake himself, to break the code- to purposefully catch himself. It could destroy the little family he ever was able to build.

He was shaking again, and Debra had tears in her face. “ I’m so sorry.”

“Dex? It’s okay, whatever it is- its-its okay” Debra was holding his hands again. Rita grasped his shoulders.

“ I-I don’t know if it really will Deb. But-but I’ll do whatever you want…but I have to tell you before he does…I know him-knew him…hes my bio brother-“, He starts with how they are related, and he knows that they’ll just say it’s okay again so before that can happen, he just comes out with it.

“ I knew he was the ice truck killer before well I knew the ice truck killer was trying to get to me-“ and before they can ask why would entertain a serial killer’s calling cards he moves to what he is sure will have him lose everything.  
“He-he knew who I was,” A deep breath, “He knew I was like him-a-a-a”

Come on Dex, “A killer too.”

He isn’t sure they believe him at first, they are deadly silent. They still have their hands on him, so maybe they’re in shock?

Debra bends her head to make eye contact with him, “What do you mean?”

He feels himself shake; he is going to shatter into a million pieces. He tells her anyway, because if anyone is to pass judgment on him- it is them. The people he put the most in danger. Deb will tell him to fuck off, he’ll apologize and turn himself in or maybe Deb will- it would be good for her track record. He’ll tell them they asked him to turn himself in, will help make sure they have little to no investigation; they can get back to normal quicker that way.

At first, he isn’t sure where to start, with Harry? With the two inches of blood that he is just realizing? When he found the psych files and notes on how to create him? It feels like a million years when he finally finishes, even with all the questions they ask he feels like there must be holes in his story- things he needs them to know. So they know what he is- so they don’t regret putting him away.  
__________________________________________________  
Rita and Debra share a look astonishment over Dexter’s head as his story comes to a whole.

Debra is so angry and tired about the whole mess. She wants to focus that anger onto something.  
“Why did you turn him in Dex?”

“He was too much of a liability. You weren’t safe anymore. He needed to be put down, but-but you- It-it had to be done. Even if it means, I broke the code. I’m sorry, Deb. I’m so sorry.”

He broke the code alright, if their father was still alive she is pretty sure she would have decked him on principle. If there was one thing Debra did know it was how to take care of her brother and this is where she put her anger.

“Okay, okay. Okay- this is not the greatest, but we are gonna figure this out. One you are not gonna say a fucking word to anyone. Dex?”, She grabbed his chin tilting it up to face her more, “Do you understand? This moment forward you are gonna keep your mouth shut, lawyering up and etc. Even if he just mentions the relation bit- it’s not gonna look good.”

Dexter seemed to be in a haze still but nodded. A good boy serial killer- that is what their father made him. She became a cop, he a killer, and her father killed himself because of it. Pieces of her life made sense again, and she was angry.

  
Rita nodded along, she wasn’t sure quite yet if all of it was true if Dexter was just confused. But the more she thought about it- the more fell into place. His late nights, the shoe, and more. Rita may have felt betrayed if she hadn’t heard the whole story- or at least what he was giving them today. A code? Killing killers? He was practically programmed by his own foster father. She was a little worried, but when looking at him start to scratch his own arm again… She looked at Debra again, and they shared a look of steel.

Rita and Debra, even if Dexter still hadn’t realized it, created an alliance that night. They were going to keep Dexter. He was family and even if he did fuck up in a spectacular way, they wouldn’t mind hiding the bodies. What was family for?

**Author's Note:**

> This is the introduction to the AU I am creating- there should be (will be) others stories in this collection but there is no real end in sight, more of just what I think about. I like Brian alive, but behind bars, I love Deb and Dex being the best sibling and I love Rita being alive! Also I love considering the fact that what if (or really come on lets be more realistic) Dexter is just a messed up kid now adult and not really a psycho killer- just trained and now has hit is limit on being able to handle this shit. So here we are…


End file.
